Meet Florian Poels, a printer from my book Beside The Annexe

‘I’m sorry Mr Poels but Mr Frank is not here and left no word about any order with you.’ Florian glared at Miep as she sat calmly behind her desk. This was typical of Jews, just disappear into the night abandoning everything while he was left to pick up the pieces. It had taken him several weeks to persuade Otto Frank to place an order with him for labels and now he had disappeared off to Switzerland of all places. Florian didn’t believe a word of it. People just didn’t disappear like that, they just didn’t. He had met Frank only the previous week and they had discussed the details. They had sat in the café drinking coffee, discussing the war and how their businesses were affected. Frank had been perfectly polite. ‘Come into my office next week, Mr Poels, and we’ll agree the final details and get a contract signed.’ All very nice and polite. Good God they had shaken hands on the matter and now this Miep woman said she knew nothing about it. Florian had even seen Frank on the street with his wife and daughter just a couple of days before. It had been quite early in the morning. He had waved over at them but they seemed distracted and had just hurried on, probably to get out of the rain. And now they had gone. Just like that, up and left everything. He nodded stiffly at Miep and left the office. Bloody Jews.